Tebbitoey



C. C. COOK.

'MAIL BAG.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Tries..

CARSON C.V COOK, OF CAMAS, IDAHO TERRITORY.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,360, dated November 27, 1888. I

Application filed January 5, 1888. Serial No. 259,859.

.T0 aZZ whom t may concern/.-

Be it knownthat I, CARSON C. COOK, of

Camas, in the county of Bingham, Idaho Territory, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bags, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. My invention relates to an improvement in mail-bags, and has for its object tosimplify the construction of the same, specially the locking devices and the formation of the bag at the mouth, and to provide a means whereby when the bag is locked matter cannot be abstracted therefrom without an indication appearing upon the surface of the bag denoting` such an attempt, and wherein, also, the bag may be conveniently and expeditiously opened and closed.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

Vin which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure lis a partial perspective view of the bag open. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same closed. Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. 1 taken partially on line a' x. Fig. 4 is a partial elevation of the bag at the hinge,and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line y y of Fig. it'.

In carrying out the invention A represents a hinged frame, to which the upper or mouth portion of the bag is secured. The said frame consists of four sections, A', A2, A, and A, of equal length, one section being connected to the other by a butt-hinge, a, two leaves of said hinge being made integral with one section and the interlocking leaf integral with the approaching section, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. The pintle a of each hinge is provided at the lower end with a vertical extension or lip, l), semicircular in cross-section, the conveX surface whereof is made to face outward, which lip is designed to form a brace or stay for the corners of the bag, as will be hereinafter set forth. When the frame is opened, as shown in Fig. l, the sections A and A2 will be parallel, and likewise the sections A3 and A, presenting a rectangle. The body of the sections upon the outside and a slight dis- (No Inodtl.)

tance from the hinge is provided with a longitudinal recess, b', as shown in Fig. 5, into which recesses the upper edges of the material, constituting the outer portion, B', of the body B of the bag, is placed, the material being cut away at the hinges a to expose the same and permit perfect freedom of action, as illustrated at b2 in Fig. 4. A strip of metal, C, is also inserted in the recess b', bearing upon the body, which strip is preferably of a thickness sufficient to project outward flush with the sections at the hinge. The upper edges of the inner wall, C', of the body are laid upon the inner face of each frame-section, preferably flush with the top, and the inner and outer walls of body mate.4 rial, likewise the outer binding-plates, are secured to the various frameseetions by rivets passing through the same, as shown in Fig. 5, or in any other similar or approved manner.

' The inner body-strip is, preferably, of use as a continuous piece, covering the inner face of the hinges as well as the inner faces of the frame-sections, and as a means of preventing the cut-away portions of thc outer body-strip from leaving the lower edge of the hinges. The two bodystrips are held in close engagement with the pintleextension b by a rivet passing through the said strip and lip, as shown in Fig. 1.

To the upper edges of the frame-sections A and A2 inwardly-projecting horizontal shields or cap-plates D are attached, beveled atopposing ends, as shown at d in Fig. l, which beveled ends,when the bag is closed,are made to approach each other, as shown in Fig. 2.

Nearthe hinged connection of section A3 with section A a longitudinal slot, d', is produced in the former, and in the latter, also near the the hinge, an aperture is produced, in which a key, D', is adapted to revolve, having an inner dat or winged head, d2, and an outwardly-extending rectangular extremity, d3, upon which extremity one end of a hinged hasp, D2, is secured, which hasp is adapted to carry the stationcard, and is provided at its unattached end with a longitudinal slot, e, adapted to engage a staple, E, fastened to the inner face-of the frame-section Arz near its connection with the section A4, as will be hereinafter set forth. In the said framesection A4, near its union with IOO section A2, a longitudinal slot, h, is made, having a central transverse segmental groove produced in its upper and lower walls,which slot lt is purposed to receive the head of the key D. Vhen the bag is opened and the hasp is allowed to hang perpendicularly downward, as shown in Fig. l, the head ofthe said key assumes a horizontal position parallel with the upper edge of the section A.

The operation of closing and locking the bag is as follows: rlhe sections A and A3 are uuitedly folded against the sections A2 and A4, the four respective sections in the order named in process of folding assuming straight lines. When the said sections are broughtin contact with each other,the shield or cap integral with section A covers section Aand the shield integral with section A2 the section A2. In so doing the beveled ends of the caps or shields abut. Thus the upper edge of the bag is composed of virtually one piece of metal. As the bag is closed, the head of the key D passes through the slot h beyond the section A, and the staple E enters and projects out from the slot d. The hasp D2 is now brought to a horizontal position and made to engage the staple E through the slot e,whereupon any approved form of lock is passed through the staple and secured. rlhe act of bringing the hasp to a horizontal position causes the head of the key D' to turn and assume a vertical position or a position at right angles to the section A. Thus a second and secure lock is provided.

Upon the various sections the usual hanging or hand rings may be secured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mailbag, the combination, with the body, consisting of the spaced inner and outer walls, B and O', of the hinged frame-sections A, A2, A, and A4, and a lip or projection, b, projecting downward from the pintles of the hinges between the walls B and O and secured thereto, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a inail-bag, the combination,with the body consisting of the spaced inner and outer walls, Band C,and the hinged upper frame-sections, A, A2, A2, and A", secured to said body having the pintles of the several hinges provided with a downwardly-projecting lip secured between the said body-walls, ofthe horizontal shields or cap-plates D, secured to the sections A and A2, having opposite beveled ends, and means, substantially as shown and described, for locking said sections, as and for the purpose herein set forth,

3. In a mail-bag, the combination, with the body consisting of the spaced inner and outer walls, B and C', the hinged upper fraine-sec tions, A, A2, A2, and A4, secured to said body, the section A* having a longitudinal slot, li, produced therein, the section A3 having a horizontal slot, d', and the section A2 provided with a staple upon its inner face adapted to enter the slot d', and a lip projecting downward from the hingepintles and secured to the body between the walls, of a pin turning in the section A, provided with a flattened inner head adapted to enter the sloth, a hasp, D2, attached to the outer end of said pin adapted to engage the staple,and a horizon tal shield or cap integral with the sections A and A2, all adapted to operate as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. In a mailbag, the combination,with the body consisting ofthe spaced inner and outer walls, B and C', the hinged upper frame-sections, A, A2, A2, and A, provided with an outer longitudinal recess,b, in which the outer body-wall is secured, a plate, O, fitting in said recess and clamping the body, and a lip, b, concave in crosssection, integral with the piutles of the respective hinges, extending downwardly between the walls B and C and secured thereto, of the horizontal shields or cap-plates D, attached to the frame sections A and A2, having opposite beveled ends, and means, substantially as described, for locking the frame-sections, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

l CARSON C. COOK.

lV'itnesses:

SPENCER HoRwooD, F. A. PYKE. 

